MOOCs offer university-level courses without the need to complete an entire programme of studies, and are becoming increasingly popular.
- They offer a large number of students the opportunity to study high quality courses online with prestigious universities, often at no cost.
- They are ideal for independent study and users can select courses from any institution offering them.
- MOOCs do not always lead to formal qualifications. There are no entry requirements.
- Video-based, they offer interaction either through peer review and group collaboration or automated feedback through objective, online assessments (including quizzes and exams).
What is MOOCs?
Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, are online courses that allow participants free access and unrestricted participation to any course of their choice. Besides the conventional modes of teaching such as lectures, videos and reading material; MOOCs also provide a platform for interactive forums.
MOOCs are further divided into two categories – cMOOCs and xMOOCs.
- cMOOCsare MOOCs that allow for dynamic development of study material. That is, instead of having a pre-planned set of reading materials and courseware, the material will be developed through online discussions and collaborations among learners taking the course across the globe.
- xMOOCs, on the other hand, believe in the conventional approach where the courses are well-structured with pre-selected reading and reference materials.
What does MOOCs offer?
MOOCs offer university-level courses without the need to complete an entire programme of studies, and are becoming increasingly popular.
- They offer a large number of students the opportunity to study high quality courses online with prestigious universities, often at no cost.
- They are ideal for independent study and users can select courses from any institution offering them.
- MOOCs do not always lead to formal qualifications. There are no entry requirements.
Video-based, they offer interaction either through peer review and group collaboration or automated feedback through objective, online assessments (including quizzes and exams).
Things you need to know:
While most courses are free, some are fee-paying. Videos are normally short and much activity takes place on online discussion groups and forums.
- A reasonable degree of computer literacy is needed.
- Many MOOC users are graduates seeking to top up their skills and competences.
- Be proactive in seeking help, through message boards associated with the course, College will be challenging, so gear up. Keep a record of your struggles and use them in your admission essays. Remember, that this is just another step on a lifelong journey.
- If you are doing this course just to add another certificate to your credentials, beware!! MOOC certificate alone may not help that much. Until now, schools have been reluctant to offer academic credits for such courses.
Why you might consider MOOCs?
- They are low cost routes to accessing quality courses.
- They can be combined with other study or work.
- They are accessed from any computer at any location including your home.
- Courses are offered for free.
- Access to courses offered by professors at the top schools
- Courses are available to a vast and diverse audience across the globe
- Learners’ performance can be monitored easily using the data captured during the start of courses
- Both professors and learners get world-wide exposure, thus improving pedagogical techniques and knowledge sharing
- Can be used as a tool in a blended learning program, where students can access more information than what is provided in the class
To conclude, MOOCs are having an impact on higher education, and are evolving to meet the needs of students. For now the real winners are the students who can expand their knowledge and skills beyond their classrooms.
Here are top sites to access high quality free courses that you can look at:
- Udemy Free Courses – http://www.udemy.com/
- Stanford Free Courses – edu/see/faq.aspx
- UC Berkeley Free Courses – http://webcast.berkeley.edu/
- MIT Free Courses – http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
- Duke Free Courses – http://itunes.duke.edu/
- Harvard Free Courses – http://www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative
- UCLA Free Courses – https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/search.aspx?c=free+courses
- Yale Free Courses – http://oyc.yale.edu/
- Carnegie Mellon Free Courses – http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning/
- ITunesU Free Courses – http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/
“Do something today that your future self will thank you for”!!
